Exterior view

The parish church of Saint-Sulpice was a basilica in the medieval tradition with side aisles, transept and ambulatory, housed in a classical structure. It was built by Daniel Gittard (1625-1686) from plans by Charles Gamard from 1646 on. Gittard completed the sanctuary, ambulatory, apsidal chapels, transept, and north portal (1670-78), after which construction was halted for lack of funds.

In 1732 Servandoni entered and won the competition for the west front of the church of Saint-Sulpice. Surprising, given his sensational approach to stage-craft, was the restrained classicism exhibited by the façade. Starting from the designs left by his predecessor, Gilles-Marie Oppenord, Servandoni's project went through several changes, and the towers were modified after 1749 by Oudot de Maclaurin (active c. 1745–1750) and Jean-François-Thérese Chalgrin. However, the main block of the façade was executed under his supervision between 1733 and 1745, with continuous superimposed Doric and Ionic porticos and no pediment, and must therefore reflect his intentions. The façade of St Sulpice was considered by such contemporary critics as Jacques-François Blondel to have finally restored the noble traditions of Greek architecture, an early example of the Neo-classical assault on Rococo taste. With no exact precedents, the façade indeed has more to do with antique Roman architecture than with its closest counterpart, Wren's west façade of St Paul's Cathedral (completed 1709), London, and it is to his Roman experiences that Servandoni's inspiration for Saint-Sulpice should be traced.

View Servandini's plan of the west façade.

Furthermore, view the the partially executed design (1751) by Servandoni for the principal (west) façade of Saint-Sulpice, with a balustrade replacing the pediment. (The towers were erected later under the supervision of Oudot de Maclaurin.)

The engravings are from Jacques-François Blondel, Architecture françoise (1752).

The photo shows the current west façade of the church.